In Arizona can I fire an employee for testing positive for marijuana?
A recent case involving a major retail chain fired an Arizona employee for testing positive for marijuana despite the fact that they possessed a medical marijuana card and disclosed that information prior to taking a urinalysis. The company claimed that they were protected under the state’s Drug Testing of Employees Act, but the judge ruled that the company couldn’t prove if the employee was impaired at work. It’s advisable that employers do not terminate Arizona employees who hold a valid medical marijuana card based solely off of a positive marijuana drug test result. Companies’ should ensure that they provide employee education and reasonable suspicion training for managers, implement a medical disclosure policy, and establish a documentation process. If a terminated employee later sues for wrongful termination, this documentation and an established process, could be a deciding factor in your case.
How do I obtain a waiver or exemption to gain access to an owner site?
You will need to contact your contract employer for the specific owner’s procedure for obtaining a waiver or exemption.
If an employee informs the employer that they are using a CBD product, what is the employers responsibility if that employee is in a safety-sensitive position?
The employer’s responsibility is to explain that there is no exception (under DOT regulations) for the use of any product that presents as THC metabolites and exceeds set thresholds on a DOT drug screen. If it is non-DOT, they should refer to the company policy. If the policy accepts CBD oil, then that should be communicated.
Does Oklahoma’s medical marijuana law have a safety-sensitive carve-out?
Oklahoma’s medical marijuana law prohibits an employer from refusing to hire, discipline, or penalize an applicant or employee based solely on a marijuana-positive drug test. Recently they passed legislation that creates an exception for positions involving safety-sensitive duties. This includes positions that involve duties that an employer reasonably believes could impact the health and safety of the employee or others. Examples of safety-sensitive positions include, but aren’t limited to, operating motor vehicles, equipment, machinery, or power tools, dispensing pharmaceuticals, direct patient or child care, or handling, packaging, processing, storing, disposing, or transporting hazardous materials, etc. Employers should establish which positions are safety-sensitive within their company and provide a clear and concise written drug testing policy abiding by Oklahoma medical marijuana laws. Once that’s complete and you share it with your employees, you should be in good shape!